Skippyjon Jones | 
|  | | | Title: | Skippyjon Jones | | Author: | Judy Schachner | | Publisher: | Dutton Juvenile | | Type: | Book / Hardcover | | Publication Date: | 15 September, 2003 | | ISBN / ISBN-13: | 0525471340 / 9780525471349 | | List Price: | $15.99 | | You Save: | $5.12 | | Amazon Price: | $10.87 | |
 This book is also available, brand-new, from 3rd-party marketplace sellers at Amazon.com, from $7.24. |
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| Editorial Review / Publisher's Information:
Product Description
Move over, Eloise and Olivia. Make room for SkippyjonJones, a Siamese kittenboy who can't resign himself to being an ordinary cat. Having a time-out in his room, he resorts to his imagination. Taking on the superhero persona of the great Spanish sword fighter Skippito, he has the adventure of his life, and readers are invited along. Zany, wild, and over-the-top, this utterly original book truly begs to be read aloud.
With the jiggly, effervescent outlines she used in I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie, the smudgy, tender expressiveness of The Grannyman, and a text worthy of a sitcom, Judith Byron Schachner has created a new cat character for all ages. ˇOlé!
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Customer Reviews:
• Skippyjon Jones! 19 October, 2008
A really cute book about a Siamese Cat who thinks he is a Chihuahua! A lot of fun and good introduction to Spanish!
- Reviewed by customer ID: A25KKXUQQ0OLWB
• 5 Year Old Discovery 03 November, 2008
It has been so very difficult to find a series of books for my little one, that is until I came across this goofy siamese kitten and his broad imagination. She will not put the book down and when she does it is because she is asleep! I read the book to her everynight and the promise of such gets her jumping to brush her teeth and ready herself for bed. This loco kitten has captured the hearts of whole family and now getting her another book is easier for me!
- Reviewed by customer ID: A19OGY8M3M6FN6
• Just Say No 26 November, 2008
We purchase books from Scholastic frequently and were shocked when we read these to our children. We had a sense of trust that the books our children get from Scholastic, through their classroom, promote valuable ideas of diversity and cultural understanding. We feel that these books failed to meet that expectation.
To put it more bluntly, these books are racist. The author is exploiting a demeaning stereotype of Mexicans and we refuse to perpetuate this stereotype for our children. The rhymes are silly, but the laughs are cheap and they don't educate. They pander to an insulting, pre-conceived notion that I would have hoped died with the Frito Bandito ads of the 1970's. Ms. Schachner insults the Spanish language by bastardizing much of her dialogue into Spanglish words that end in -ito. You can learn more Spanish by reading the menu at the Taco Bell than you can by reading these books.
We don't buy books from Scholastic in order to get our Cheech and Chong fix (",dude"). It's stunning that educators can promote a book whose plot can be summarized as a cat visits a bunch of Mexicans who mainly party and sleep but are too cowardly to seize back their beans from the boogeyman. In this context you have to wonder why we weren't treated to Siamese cats with schlocky and insulting faux-Asian accents that practice martial arts when fighting the sinister nemesis.
We expect Scholastic to understand that words and language are powerful. Publishers of children's books have a responsibility in that they open up conversations for children and expose them to ideas that help them relate to other people. These ideas are building blocks for young minds. They deserve a better foundation than these books have to offer.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A2OQRSAF2O50VL
• Most Entertaining 04 November, 2008
My daughter is 5 and she LOVES reading the Skippyjon Jones books. There are places where we giggle and clap. I read to her every night and since adding these books I actually enjoy the fun that comes off the page. My job as a parent is to make learning fun and entertaining - and these books are both. El Skipito to the rescue!!
- Reviewed by customer ID: AT4JS8VQTSO1Y
• Racist? C'mon....get Real. 16 October, 2008
My 5 year old really enjoys this books with the silly rhymes and play on words. This story is about a child-cat and his imagination. The play on spanish words aren't meant to be racist, it shows how a young kitten (similar in his personality to a young child) may interpret how they hear things. It never shows the spanish chihuahuas as being any kind of bad stereotypes. Just as some Pups in need of a little rescuing from a Zorro style hero.
To me, the books relate to how young ones work into their imaginary play new languages and ideas on culture. Chihuahuas are thought to be spanish, so SkippyJon, a child-cat, will 'interpret' the language and customs in his own way, with what little knowledge he has, while pretending to be a chihuahua.
Also, to reference a particular point someone made on why the book is so stereotypical, the true reason behind adding the -O after words that aren't spanish is NOT done to suggest that it automatically makes a word spanish. Its done to fit into the song rhythm its meant to go with, and to rhyme with other words.
In the end, if you are concerned about it, teach your child the true customs and explain that the book is about word play between english and spanish, and is make believe and silly. Or, of course, don't read the book at all. But don't be so self-righteous as to denounce the book as racist, because racist is an ugly term that these playful books do not deserve.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A1A3DGDZ8QV99O
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